Tears and tributes for police who died in the line of duty

The Union Buildings on Sunday were the setting for a sombre high-level gathering as President Cyril Ramaphosa officiated at the annual SAPS commemoration day, where tribute was paid to the men and women in blue who died carrying out their duties in the past year. 

The event came just a day after an Eastern Cape police sergeant was killed when trying to thwart an armed robbery.

In his welcoming address, police minister Bheki Cele said two years of Covid-19 restrictions had deprived officers of “the opportunity to gather in our collective grief to mourn the passing of our colleagues” and “made us drastically downscale the way in which we commemorated those officers who died with their boots on”.

“It is the first time since the outbreak of the pandemic that we are able to host this commemoration day ceremony, with full-scale attendance,” Cele told the gathering, that this year included justice and correctional services minister Ronald Lamola, deputy police minister Cassel Mathale, chairperson of parliament's portfolio committee on police Tina Joemat-Pettersson, national police commissioner Gen Fannie Masemola, families of the fallen police officers and others.

On Saturday morning Sgt Vakele Mark Mjoli, 43, was shot dead in Engcobo. He was part of a four-member crime prevention response team called out to an armed business robbery in progress at a retail chain store.

Mjoli approached a man in security gear standing at the entrance, and asked where the suspects were. The man directed Mjoli to the doorway and then shot him. His colleagues ran to his aid and were ambushed by gunmen inside the store who fired at them. Const Mfundiso Ndede, 35, suffered serious injuries and was rushed to hospital.

Two suspects were killed in the shoot-out, one was arrested and two escaped.

Eastern Cape commissioner, Lt-Gen Nomthetheleli Mene said: “It is really sad that on the eve of the national commemoration day for our fallen heroes, we have experienced yet another tragic and cold-blooded killing of a member. We shall not sleep, until the rest of those involved in this heartless act of brutality are found, to face the consequences of their actions in the courts of law.”

One of those to whom tribute was paid on Sunday was Elukwatini SAPS station commander Col Beauty Marivate, 55. On December 30 2021 she responded to a supermarket robbery. As she arrived on the scene a gang opened fire on her police car, killing her. She left behind four children and nine grandchildren.

She is among the 31 men and two women killed in the line of duty between April 2021 and March this year.

“Today, we collectively remember their courage; we come together to celebrate their dedication and their zeal as first-line responders. The day has come to commend our fallen colleagues for staying true and committed to the mandate of the SAPS. We honour these members who paid the ultimate price in pursuit for a safer SA,” Ramaphosa said.

The 2021/22 roll of honour can be found here. 

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